Traffic at a standstill in Penang after massive floods

An aerial view. Jalan Perak.

GEORGE TOWN: The morning rush hour on Penang island has been brought to a standstill by massive floods after a downpour that lasted all night. 

All main routes to the city's central business district are cut off by knee-deep to chest-high flood waters from 6am Friday. 

Photos of a landslide in Paya Terubong showing large trees crushing cars are circulating on social media. 

Motorcyclist trying to escape the chest-high flood waters in Jalan P. Ramlee.

 

In the Jalan P. Ramlee area, flood waters are reported to be up to 1.5m deep. 

Aerial photos of Jalan Perak showed the street inundated by muddy water. 

A check on Google Maps showed that in contrast to heavy congestion in the island's northeast quarter, the central business district near Lebuh Pantai is clear - a sign that thousands of office workers cannot reach their workplaces. 

A business executive living in Air Itam left home at 6.30am, but was still stranded near the state mosque by 8am. 

He told The Star he needed to be early because he was coordinating a visit of an important delegation from China to his company near Lebuh Light. 

"I knew it would flood and thought I can beat it by being early. Now our plans are all in shambles," he said. 

At 7am, the Penang Island City Council issued a flood alert on its Facebook page, but has yet to list flooded areas.